ACN News

Sri Lanka - First Mass Celebrated in St Sebastian's Church After the 2019 Easter Attacks - Many Christians still Severely Traumatised

by Matthias Böhnke edited by Laura Cain

The first Holy Mass was celebrated on the 21st of July at St. Sebastian's Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, Sri Lanka, three months after the attack on Easter Sunday (April 21st) where a suicide bomber killed close to 100 people. The statue of Jesus covered in the martyrs' blood stands at the front of the Church. The Holy Mass was attended by 1000 people including victims of the attack and was celebrated by Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. A special security plan was in place surrounding the church premises.

A statue of Christ that was in St Sebastian's Church was splattered with the blood of the victims. It is now surrounded by glass and venerated in memory of those that lost their lives whilst worshipping on Easter Sunday.Photographer/Author: Bartek ZytkowiakCopyright: Aid to the Church in Need

Parishoners of St. Sebastian's Church reflecting in front of a memorial that lists the names of the martyrs of the Sri Lanka Easter Attacks 2019.Photographer/Author: Bartek ZytkowiakCopyright: Aid to the Church in Need

Veronique Vogel, head of projects in Asia for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), upon returning from a visit to Sri Lanka, spoke of palpable tensions throughout the country, recurring unrest and fear. “The security measures throughout Sri Lanka were very strict during our visit; security forces and the military were everywhere. But fear persists, particularly among the Christian population. Everyone is well aware of the fact that more assassins were involved on Easter Sunday than were identified and arrested. Therefore, everyone knows that somewhere out there extremely dangerous people are running around who could attack again at any time.”

Sri Lankan's venerating and praying in front of the statue of Christ that still has the blood of the victims of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks.

The archbishop of the diocese of Colombo, Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith, has appealed to the public to remain calm and to refrain from carrying out acts of revenge. “During our trip, I repeatedly got the sense that the Christians were thankful for the words of their archbishop and were taking them to heart,” Veronique Vogel explained. Over a period of just a few days, the small delegation from ACN visited mainly the regions around the capital city of Colombo and the neighbouring city of Negombo, where most of the attacks on churches and hotels had taken place. “This trip was arranged so that we could see for ourselves the state of the Catholic parishes and to assure them of our solidarity. After all, the terrorist attacks were specifically targeted at Christians,” Vogel continued. “It is important for us to provide the benefactors of ACN with first-hand information about the situation on site to ensure that we don’t forget to pray for Sri Lanka and we can give the country our support.”

Loved ones place flowers and mourn the dead at a memorial wall listing the martyr's names. Photographer/Author: Bartek ZytkowiakCopyright: Aid to the Church in Need

Veronique Vogel reported that although the churches in the country have been accessible again, many Christians are severely traumatised. “Many told me that they are afraid to enter a church at the moment or feel fear when they hear the bells ring. Saddening testimony of just how stressful the memories of Easter Sunday must be for them.” However, she also discovered that many who had themselves become victims or had lost family members felt that their experiences had strengthened them in their faith. “Since the situation in the country had been comparatively quiet over the last few years, many people are having trouble understanding why they in Sri Lanka had to endure such suffering. But their will to live and faith remain very strong. The Christians and the people in Sri Lanka do not want civil war, but are actively working to maintain lasting peace,” the head of projects in Asia for ACN emphasised.

Veronique Vogel was especially impressed by their visit to a Franciscan convent in Negombo. She explained that the convent is located directly across from the Catholic Church of St. Sebastian. During the attacks, at least 100 people were killed at this location alone. She spoke of how the Franciscans showed them videos of horrible scenes from the day of the attacks and how they had immediately rushed to the scene after the explosions to care for the wounded and help recover the dead. “In spite of these traumatic experiences, they are models of lived charity and have not let terrorism and violence detract them from their faith and their willingness to help others.”

The island nation of Sri Lanka is situated in the Indian Ocean and has about 22 million inhabitants, 70 per cent of these Buddhists, 12.5 per cent Hindus, 9.5 per cent Muslims and 8 per cent Christians. A large number of people were killed or severely wounded during a series of attacks on Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019, that were mainly targeted at three Christian churches and three hotels in the capital city of Colombo, the neighbouring city of Negombo and the east coast city of Batticaloa. The latest figures estimate nationwide casualties of at least 253 dead and about 500 wounded. The authorities have made a local, radical Islamist group and jihadists responsible for the attacks.

Over the last 15 years Aid to the Church in Need has invested more than AUD $12 million in projects for Sri Lanka. Among other projects, these funds were used for the building of Christian facilities, for Mass stipends for priests, for theological education and to ensure the local availability of Christian literature. In the wake of the latest terrorist attacks, Aid to the Church in Need Australia launched a National Campaign for the Church in Sri Lanka which has raised over AUD $70,000. ACN is committed to strengthening long-term pastoral aid in the country, to help heal wounds and bring back hope and confidence to the parishes.

Prayer to our Lady of Lanka

O Most Loving and Tender Mother, Queen and Patroness of Sri Lanka, we humbly ask you to look over your children in Sri Lanka, in their hour of need. Dearest Mother, you have come to the rescue, in times of peril, and in times of war and destruction. In your never failing love, we earnestly ask you, to dispel any waves of violence, killings and addictions, and various forms of evil actions that disrupt unity among people.

Help us to build in our world, God's Kingdom of Justice and Love. We entrust to your loving care and guidance, all races and peoples of Sri Lanka and the world. Help us to bring about brotherhood, peace and unity in our own societies. Guide the destinies of Sri Lanka and obtain for the people lasting peace so that all may live as brothers and sisters of one family. Amen.